'Alpine divorce' is a viral new dating term. It's causing panic across the internet.

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There's a horrifying dating term going viral, and every dater needs to be aware of it.

The internet is abuzz right now with the term "alpine divorce." It happens when a couple goes on a date out in nature − think a hike, camping trip or bike ride − and then one abandons the other in the wilderness to fend for themselves.

It's a horrible form of abuse, experts say. And it's also not as uncommon as you might think.

Stephanie Sarkis, a psychotherapist specializing in narcissistic abuse among other mental health issues, says she's had clients who have, unfortunately, experienced this. She says an "alpine divorce" can be deeply traumatic, causing immense mental and physical distress.

"I've seen it a few times," Sarkis says. "For a lot of people, that's their worst fear: Being in an environment where we don't have control over what's going on and being abandoned somewhere. I think we all have a fear of abandonment to different degrees. Being out in an area that you do not know, where there's wildlife, where you could easily get lost, especially if it's unmarked, that's a real fear for people."